South Florida Forecast

April 25, 2024 By Capt. Alan Sherman

Capt. Alan Sherman covers Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable, including Pompano Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami and Homestead. Contact info: shermana@bellsouth.net; (786)436-2064; www.getemsportfishing.com

Action Spotter Podcast

April 26-28 Report

Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable

Check the most current marine forecast before heading offshore this weekend. NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the east northeast at 15 to 20 plus knots this weekend.

Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef

Tarpon fishing in the ocean inlets has been disappointing since the nighttime shrimp runs stopped. A few large jacks crevalles, big barracudas, and sharks have been feeding on mullet schools as they move through the inlets. Schools of pilchards have disappeared making live bait fishing a challenge. Threadfin herrings are being caught on the incoming tides around the inlets and next to the offshore markers. The offshore bite slowed this week with the exception of sailfish and mutton snappers. Blackfin tuna continue to be around but didn’t feed as well as last week. Maybe because of the full moon. Dolphin fish continue to be hit or miss. A decent weedline did form offshore in 300 feet of water and in 600 feet of water. These weed lines have not been consistent but have held some small to medium size dolphins. The sailfish have been biting along current rips and edges in depths between 100 to 300 feet of water. Live baits like threadfin herrings, and goggle eye jacks have been the top sailfish baits. Fishing them under a kite is getting more strikes than free lining the baits. Big blackfin tunas have eaten some of the baits intended for the sails. Not many cobias have been caught this year. A few kings and bonitos are being caught in the same depths as the sails. Big mutton snappers have started spawning over ledges and wrecks in depths between 100 to 200 feet of water. The muttons are eating chunks of goggle eye jacks, ballyhoos, and live pinfish. Nighttime reef fishing was good for yellowtail, mangrove, and mutton snappers. The best bite is happening when the current and wind is moving in the same direction. The reefs in 40 to 100 feet of water have been the best. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 11:29.

North Biscayne Bay

The best bite this week was for sea trout. The trout were being caught on lice shrimp under a Cajun Thunder, jig heads tipped with Gulp shrimp, and NLBN 3” jig heads and a twisted T’s paddle tail soft plastics. A few jacks, snappers, and barracudas were caught while fishing for the seat trouts. Hit your favorite grass flat in two to four feet of water. The trout are feeding on both tides. Nighttime snook and small tarpon fishing was only fair this week. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 6:51.

South Bay

Breezy conditions will make fishing for bonefish a challenge. Hit the Oceanside islands backside flats for your best shot at a bonefish. The Finger Channels in South Bay has had some action from mangrove snappers, yellowjacks, barracudas, and sharks. Live shrimp and cut frozen baits have been the best baits to fish in the channels. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 6:21 in the morning.

Flamingo

Snook, redfish, and sea trout have been eating shrimp and pinfish fished in the channels and runoffs of Florida Bay. Tarpons, ladyfish, snappers, bluefish, jacks, and large sea trout over the banks near Sandy Key. The tarpons have been eating live mullets, pinfish, and pilchards. Along the shorelines north of East Cape canal, snook, redfish, tarpons, and sharks have been eating an assortment of baits. The inside waters of Oyster and Whitewater Bays have had snook, redfish, and snappers feeding along the islands and points. Sea trout are being caught over hard bottom bars. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 6:48 AM and at the mouth of Shark River low tide is at 10:02 AM.

Tarpon fishing continues to be good in and around the ocean inlets. The best bite has been at night and the tarpons are eating more crabs and live mullets now than shrimp. A few permits have been eating the crabs. The offshore bite slowed a bit this week, maybe due to the strong winds early in the week. Now that the winds have layed down I expect the offshore fishing to get back to where it should be. Sailfish continue to be in good numbers.

The kite fishermen have been doing the best on the sails. The sailfish have been traveling as singles and also in small groups. Having a handful of baits dangling from one or two kites gives you a shot at more than one hookup at a time. Quite a few wahoos have been around and eating kite baits and trolled hard plastics, feathers and Sea Witches tipped with a strip of bonito belly. Large blackfin tuna have been taking some of the kite baits in the late afternoon.

Dolphin fish in the 3- to 15-pound range have tracked down the struggling kite baits and eaten every one. Kingfish and bonitos are still around but not in big numbers. The bite is taking place early and late in the day. The best areas to target is depths between 90 to 200 feet of water. The artificial wrecks in these depths are holding bait and that bait is drawing fish to them. Make sure to fish your kite baits in these areas. Drifting live and dead baits is producing plenty of fish. The bottom fishing for large mutton snappers has only been fair but that could change with next week’s full moon. Fish the wrecks and rocky ledges in depths between 80 to 200 feet of water for the muttons. Large amberjacks are feeding over many of the deeper wrecks. Live pinfish are getting the jack bites. Vertical jigging over the deeper wrecks and rock piles is producing amberjacks and blackfin tunas.

NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the east southeast at 5 to 10 knots late Friday and all day Saturday. Sunday winds are forecasted to be southeast to south at 10 to 15 knots.

Swordfishing during the daytime has been worth a shot. Large bonito strips fished on the bottom in 1800 feet of water is producing swordfish strikes. Keep an eye out for frigate birds while you’re heading offshore. Under the frigates might be dolphin fish over 30 pounds. Nighttime reef fishing has been fair with an assortment of snappers, jacks, bluerunners, toros, bluefish, and cobias being caught. Live and dead baits are both getting strikes. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 6:53 PM.

North Biscayne Bay

Schools of mullet continue to move through the bay. At times large jack crevalles, big barracudas, and tarpons can be seen feeding on the mullets. Over the grass flats tarpons and sharks are targeting the mullet schools. Big sea trout are picking off some of the smaller mullets in the schools. Nighttime snook and tarpon action has been decent. Live shrimp and pinfish fished near the lighted docks and bridge shadow lines in the bay are some of the best spots to target the snook and tarpons. North Biscayne Bay High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 8:24.

South Bay

Bonefishing on the shallow flats of South Bay continues to be good. The flats in the Cutter Bank, Arsenicker Keys, and Totten Key area has had decent numbers of bonefish to target. A few permits are working these flats so have a few silver dollar size blue crabs in your well in case a permit tails near you. Some large sharks and barracudas are feeding on these flats. Snook have been holding under the mangrove shorelines in South Bay and can be chummed with live pilchards and then targeted with artificial baits and pilchards. The Finger Channels continue to provide action from small snappers, jacks, grunts, and barracudas. Live pilchards and shrimp are getting the strikes. Tarpons are feeding on mullets along the beach across from the Mast Academy, by the Key Biscayne Yacht Club, and in the Key Biscayne Main Channel. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 8:06 in the morning.

Flamingo

An early morning falling tide will provide decent action for snook, redfish, sea trout, and tarpons in the Snake Bight Channel, Tin Can Channel, and Palm Key Channel. Bouncing and swimming soft plastics in these areas always provides you with action. Tarpons and sea trout have been feeding over the shallow flats south of Sandy Key. Live large pilchards, crabs, and pinfish will get you the tarpon bites and a jig head tipped with a soft plastic will keep you in the action with the trout and snappers that will be on these flats. Tarpons are feeding along the coast from East Cape north to Lostmans River. The inside waters of Oyster and Whitewater Bays has slowed. A few snook and sea trout were biting over the bars and at the island points. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 9:45 AM and at the mouth of Shark River low tide is at 6:50 AM.

Capt. Alan Sherman
shermana@bellsouth.net
(786)436-2064
www.getemsportfishing.com

April 12-14 Report

Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable

NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the north to northeast at 15 to 25 knots late Friday. Saturday winds are forecasted to be 15 to 20 knots out of the northeast. Sunday winds are forecasted to be 15 knots out of the east.

Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef

The offshore bite really turned on the past few weeks due to the big winds and the spring migration of baitfish and predators. Along the beaches when the waters were dirty, pompano, bluefish and Spanish mackerel were being caught on flashy lures, and live and dead baits. Outside the outer reefs in depths between 90 to 300 feet of water, quite a few sailfish, kingfish, larger blackfin tuna, bonitos, wahoo and dolphin fish were being caught. The fishermen using kites to suspend their live threadfin herring, goggle eye jacks and horse pilchards were catching the most sails and dolphin fish. Double-digit catches of sailfish have been common. The dolphin fish have been in the three- to six-pound range with the exception of a few fish over 30 pounds taking baits intended for the sailfish and blackfin tuna. There has been a few reports of large yellowfin tunas taking a kite bait. Fishing live baits free-lined is getting fish but not as many as the kite-fished baits. The wahoos are being caught trolling drone spoons and Sea Witches tipped with a bonito belly strip. Using a down rigger or planner to get your baits deep is what it takes to get the wahoos attention. Out in depths between 400 to 600 feet of water smaller blackfin tunas have been eating vertical jigs and live pilchards over rock piles and wrecks. The best action is taking place late in the afternoons and during cloudy overcast days. Mutton snappers are starting to show up in better numbers and are much bigger as they prepare for their upcoming spawning season that could start on the next full moon. Look for these tough-fitting bottom feeders in depths between 100 to 200 feet of water. The muttons like to hang out in sand near rocky bottom. A live ballyhoo on a long flourocarbon 40-pound leader with enough lead weight to keep the bait near the bottom makes a great mutton snapper rig and bait. Nighttime reef fishing has been fair. A few snappers plus bluefish, toros, and grunts are being caught in the dredge holes that have some rocky bottom near by. Cut up Spanish sardines work well in these dredge holes.

Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 6:05.

North Biscayne Bay

Sea trout continue to be active over the grass flats of North Bay. Cool water temperatures had the fish more active in the afternoons than in the morning. A lot of the trout have spawned out and are long and skinny. Water temperatures on the flats Tuesday were in the mid 70’s. A few mangrove snappers and small barracudas were mixed in with the trout. Jack crevalles in the one- to six-pound range were eating shrimp on a jig heads in the ocean inlets. Shrimp runs have slowed in Biscayne Bay but the tarpons are still under the bridges looking to pick off the stragglers. Snook have been holding under many of the lighted dock lights in the bay. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 8:23.

South Bay

A low incoming tide in the morning translates into some good bonefishing on the early incoming tide. Look for the bones to be working in as close to the Oceanside island of South Bay shorelines as the tide rises. Cast a large live shrimp in front of that tailing bonefish and feel for the subtle tap that lets you know it’s time to set the hook. Rod-bending action can be had for an assortment of small fish in the Finger Channels. Anchor and chum with frozen blocks of ground-up fish while you fish with live shrimp, pilchards and cut Spanish sardines. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 7:53 in the morning.

Flamingo

Find some clean waters in Florida Bay between Tino Can Channel and Murray Key and you should find redfish, snook and sea trout willing to bite a live shrimp on a jig head. Big winds have muddied the waters along the shorelines from the outside boat ramp north to Big Sable Creek, making fishing tough. Once the winds lay down and the waters green up a bit, look for big tarpons to start feeding again in these areas. The inside waters of Oyster and Whitewater Bays continue to provide action from sea trout, snook and redfish. The best action is happening along hard bottom bars, island points that have a good tidal flow and along island shorelines that have small baitfish present. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 8:12 AM and at the mouth of Shark River high tide is at 6:22 AM.

Capt. Alan Sherman
shermana@bellsouth.net
(786)436-2064
www.getemsportfishing.com

April 5-7 Report

Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef

The spring migration is in full swing and the fishing that one would expect this time of year is happening. Tarpons and snook are in the ocean inlets. Along the beaches, off the Oceanside jetties and piers, Spanish mackerel, bluefish and pompano are being caught. The best action for these fish is happening when the waters are a little dirty. The macs and bluefish are eating live pilchards, shrimp, strips of mackerel bellies and shiny artificial baits. The pompanos are hitting Doc’s Goody jigs tipped with a piece of Fishbites and sand fleas. Further offshore, kingfish, bonitos, sailfish, wahoo and some larger blackfin tuna re being caught. This action is taking place just outside the outer reef in depths from 100 to 200 feet of water. Large live pilchards, threadfin herrings and goggles jacks free-lined or fished from under a kite is getting the most strikes. Drifting fresh ballyhoo and Spanish sardines a few feet below the surface in these depths is getting strikes as well. The best action is coming late in the afternoons. Dolphin fish are being caught in depths from 100 feet of water out to 800 feet of water. These dolphins have been heavy lifters and in larger groups than weeks ago. The dolphins that were caught in the shallower depths hit baits intended for other fish. The dolphins in the deeper waters were under birds and floating debris. The daytime bottom fishing over the deeper rocky ledges and shallower wrecks in depths from 80 feet of water out to 200 feet of water has been better for mutton snappers, yellowtail snappers, cobia, porgies and triggerfish. Vertical jigs, live pinfish, ballyhoo, threadfin herrings and pilchards fished on or near the bottom is getting the bottom-fish strike. The nighttime reef fishing has been fair. Bluefish, snappers, grunts and toros are taking cut baits. The dredge holes near a reef are producing the best catches. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 6:53.

North Biscayne Bay

Large spawning sea trout, some decent size mangrove snappers, small barracudas, jacks and large tarpons are feeding over the grass flats between 79th street to the Venetian Causeway. Live shrimp and pilchards fished under a Cajun Thunder float and jig heads tipped with a soft plastic is getting most of these fish. Fishing live mullets over these flats and in the Intra Coastal waterways north of the 163rd street bridge is resulting in some very large tarpon strikes. Shrimp runs at night are starting to wind down a bit but tarpons and snook continue to be caught around lighted dock lights and along the shadow lines of the bay bridges. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 8:35.

South Bay

Bonefishing has been good in the low incoming tides along the Oceanside flats. There has been some bonefish and permit action around the Arsenicker Keys and along the flats near Cutter Bank. Live shrimp and silver dollar crabs will be needed for these fish. The Finger Channels are producing a few snappers, jacks, grunts and barracudas. Live shrimp and cut bait have been getting the strikes. Chumming while at anchor in 10 to 12 feet of water is bringing Spanish mackerel, bluefish, jacks and bluerunners to the boat. These fish can be caught on live shrimp. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 7:52 in the morning.

Flamingo

An early morning low tide will allow anglers to target snook, redfish, tarpon and sea trout along the edges of the shallow flats in Florida Bay. Hit the run-offs and drop-offs with a shrimp on a jig head, shrimp under a Cajun Thunder float and soft plastics. Sea trout have been biting in and around Conchie Channel and over the flats south of Sandy Key. Big tarpons have been feeding in the channels between the flats in this area. A live or dead mullet, large crabs, and small ladyfish have been getting the tarpon strikes. The inside waters of Oyster Bay and Whitewater Bays have had some action from sea trout, small snook, redfish, and small Goliath groupers to target. Hit the hard bottom bars, island shorelines, and island points for these fish. Soft plastics and jig heads tipped with a soft plastic has been getting many of these fish. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 9:54 AM and at the mouth of Shark River low tide is at 7:06 AM.

Capt. Alan Sherman
shermana@bellsouth.net
(786)436-2064
www.getemsportfishing.com

PREVIOUS REPORTS

March 29-31

Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable

NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the east-northeast late Friday at 15 to 25 knots. Winds start dropping on Saturday at 10 to 15 knots out of the East. Sunday winds will be east-southeast at 5 to 10 knots.

Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef

As we get further into spring, schools of mullet continue to move along the coast as they head North. Big jack crevalles, tarpon, sharks and snook have been waiting to ambush the mullet schools. Catch it right and you could get into a feeding frenzy! Casting artificial baits that resemble mullet can get you into the action. A live mullet is almost a for-sure when cast into the feeding fish. Off the Oceanside piers, beaches and jetties, Spanish mackerel, bluefish and pompano are taking live shrimp and artificial baits that resemble the shrimp. Offshore along the outer reef, kingfish to 20 pounds are being caught trolling Sea Witches tipped with bonito strips. Getting the bait 20 to 30 feet below the surface with a planer enhances your chances of getting more strikes.

A few wahoo and bonitos are eating the Sea Witches. The kings are being caught in depths between 90 to 200 feet of water. Anchoring in 80 to 120 feet of water and chumming with live pilchards is getting the kings into a frenzy. Fishing the pilchards with a trace of wire helps keep the kings from cutting your leader. Almost everyday sailfish are taking baits fished under a kite. In depths between 400 to 600 feet of water blackfin tuna and dolphin fish are being caught. Keep an eye on your sonar and if you see fish markings, drop a vertical jig to the depth of the markings. In most cases these marks are from small- to medium-size tunas. Daytime bottom fishermen working the deeper wrecks have been targeting vermillion snappers, leaving the groupers alone till April 1, when the shallow water grouper season reopens.

Nighttime bottom fishing has been good in the dredge holes that have some rocky structure. Snappers, grunts, bluefish, toros and bluerunners are biting in the holes. Low tide at Government Cut Friday will be at 5:37 in the afternoon.

North Biscayne Bay

Sea trout have been plentiful over the shallow flats of Biscayne Bay. Casting Savage Gear Twitch Reapers, jig heads tipped with soft plastics and live shrimp or pilchards fished under a Cajun Thunder float over the grass flats in the two to four feet of water is producing steady action from sea trout, mangrove snappers and barracudas. The largest sea trout are full of roe and should be released. A few large tarpons are feeding on some of these flats. Nighttime tarpon fishing has been excellent especially when the shrimp are running. Good places to target the tarpons has been the Bear Cut bridge, Rickenbacker Causeway and the MacArthur Causeway. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 7:51.

South Bay

Bonefishing continues to be good on the early morning incoming tides. Good areas to target the bones are the Oceanside flats from Bear Cut to Ocean Reef, Totten Key, Cutter Bank, the Arsenicker Keys and the shorelines along the western shoreline from Dinner Key to Card Sound Road. Spanish mackerel and bluefish are roaming South Bay. Anchor and chum to get the fish to the boat and then bait them with a live shrimp fished under a Cajun Thunder float. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 7:21 in the morning.

Flamingo

High water early in the morning in Florida Bay will have snook, redfish, sea trout and tarpons high up on the flats. Look for snook and redfish along the shorelines from the Florida Bay boat ramp to Shark River. High water will help you get in there safely. Hit the blown-down trees with a shrimp under a cork. Tarpons are starting to gather over the shallow flats south of Sandy Key. A live pinfish under a float works well for these silver kings. The inside waters of Oyster and Whitewater Bays have had lots of sea trout, a few redfish, and large tarpons feeding over the hard bottom bars. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 7:43 AM and at the mouth of Shark River high tide is at 7:16 AM.

Capt. Alan Sherman
shermana@bellsouth.net
(786)436-2064
www.getemsportfishing.com

March 21-24

Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable

NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the south to southwest at 20 to 25 knots late Friday. Saturday winds are predicted to be 15 to 25 knots out of the west-southwest and then Sunday 15 to 20 knots out of the west-northwest. The full moon falls on Monday.

Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef

Shrimp continue to run at night. The sizes of the shrimp are smaller. Feeding on these shrimp have been large jack crevalle, medium-size tarpon, snapper, ladyfish, and snook. During the day, snook, large jack crevalle and bluefish have been feeding on live pilchards near the ocean inlets and along the swim buoy line. A few Spanish mackerel, bluefish and bluerunners are being caught off the Oceanside piers and jetties. The offshore bite continues to be spotty with some fishermen doing very well and others struggling.

My son and I fished offshore last week and did very well. We started out with two live wells of frisky pilchards thanks to Lester of Lester’s Live Baits. Headed offshore of Government Cut with 10 to 15 mile an hour northeast breeze. Things started off slow with a few undersize mutton snappers and a very small dolphin caught in 100 feet of water. For the next three hours we fished our way to Haulover Inlet. During that time span we landed a small almoco jack and amberjack and lost a large bottom fish. A few cut offs by kingfish and not much else. There was no surface action at all. There had been some reports over the radio of blackfin tuna, kingfish, sailfish and dolphin fish. That kept our hopes alive.

There was a perfect bluewater edge with a decent north current in 100 to 260 feet of water the entire day. Once off Haulover Inlet things got good late in the day. We got into a hot kingfish bite in 90 feet of water and quickly put four in the box in the 6 to 8 pound range plus a bunch of bonitos and one 22-pound jack crevalle. We released all the bonitos, jacks and many kingfish before pushing offshore in the 240 depth. Drifting inshore and fishing live pilchards at different depths while vertical jigging we ended up with 10 dolphin fish to 9 pounds, more cut offs and one blackfin tuna. Lots of patience and not giving up is what made the difference between catching and just fishing. The nighttime reef fishing has been good when the wind isn’t blowing. The dredge holes in 50 to 60 feet of water has been producing a nice mixed bag of snappers, bluefish, grunts, kingfish, toros and blurrunners. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 8:10.

North Biscayne Bay

Spawning sea trout are scattered over the grass flats with healthy grass. The flats around 36th street seem to be the more productive flats. Live shrimp, small mullets and pilchards are getting the strikes. Look for mullet muds for the best action. Some large jack crevalle, tarpon and big trout are feeding under the mullet schools. The nighttime snook and tarpon bite continues to be good. Look for these fish to be near lighted dock lights and bay bridges. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 9:44.

South Bay

Bonefish have been biting over the shallow flats of South Bay. Look for the bones to be making small muds and pushing wakes along the shorelines of the Oceanside flats between Soldiers Key and Elliott Key. There has been some decent bonefish action on the western shorelines between Dinner Key and Card Sound road. The bones target large live shrimp. The Finger Channels are producing a few legal mangrove snappers and yellowjacks. Live shrimp are getting these fish. Spanish mackerel and bluefish can be chummed to the boat and then caught on live shrimp or pilchards fished under a Cajun Thunder float. Anchor in 10 to 22 feet of water and deploy a block of frozen chum. Give the slit 15 to 20 minutes and if no bites move to another area. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 9:01 in the morning.

Flamingo

The outside waters of Florida Bay have been clean enough to get some fish to bite as long as you stay near the flats. A few medium-size tarpon were feeding in the run-offs and along the island shorelines. Small snook were scattered in the channels. Decent-size jack crevalles were feeding on the mullet schools. Redfish were scattered. Once you get north of the marina the waters near shore were very dirty and the fishing was tough. A lot of guys were chasing tarpon out over the banks south of Sandy Key. When the waters warm up tarpon have been feeding along the outside shoreline near Shark River. The tarpon are eating live mullets, small ladyfish and pinfish. The inside waters of Whitewater and Oyster Bays have had a decent amount of sea trout, redfish and snook to target. Look for these fish to be feeding along the island shorelines, points and bars. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 11:04 AM and at the mouth of Shark River low tide is at 8:04 AM.

Capt. Alan Sherman
shermana@bellsouth.net
(786)436-2064
www.getemsportfishing.com

March 15-17

Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable

NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the south to southeast at 5 to 10 knots through Saturday night. and on Sunday 10 to 15 knots out of the south.

Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef

The spring migration is underway in South Florida. Schools of mullets, pilchards, glass minnows and threadfin herrings are sliding by our coast as they head north for the summer. On their tails are bluefish, snook, tarpons, Spanish mackerel, kingfish, bonitos, big jack crevalles, blackfin tuna, sailfish and dolphin fish. Kingfish in the 3- to 20-pound range are being caught on live baitfish, fresh ballyhoo and Spanish sardines. Vertical jigs are getting strikes too. Mixed in with the kings have been bonitos. Look for the kings to be feeding inside of 200 feet of water around artificial reefs and the sewer outfalls. Most of the week there has been a very distinct blue water edge that has moved inshore of 200 feet of water at times. In the blue water, dolphin fish in the 2- to 10-pound range have been scattered along the coast. These mahi mahi just show up as singles, doubles and small groups. They grab a few baits and then move on. Sailfish and blackfin tunas have been feeding in the same waters as the mahi mahi. On the bottom over wrecks and ledges, a few mutton and yellowtail snappers were being caught. A lot of small almoco jacks and amberjacks are on the wrecks and eating live baits and vertical jigs. Big bluefish continue to surprise offshore fishermen. These fish are traveling through our area quickly and just show up unexpectedly. The nighttime bottom fishing is producing decent numbers of snappers, bluefish, toros, grunts and kingfish. The dredge holes have been pretty good recently. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 8:31.

North Biscayne Bay

Baitfish schools are moving through the bay as we speak. Feeding on the baitfish has been big schools jack crevalles, ladyfish, Spanish mackerel and bluefish. Sea trout continue to be caught over the shallow grass flats in the bay. Tarpon have been feeding in areas where mullet schools are present. Nighttime snook and tarpon action is good in the ocean inlets, along lighted bridges and under lighted dock lights. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 9:47.

South Bay

Fishermen will have a good incoming tide in the morning for targeting bonefish on both sides of the South Bay. Look for the bones to be tailing along the shallowest parts of the Oceanside flats and western shoreline flats of South Bay as the tide starts to come in. Once the tide rises look for the bonefish pushing wakes and creating small pancake-sized muds. Large live shrimp and skimmer jigs if presented properly, rarely get refused. The Finger Channels were slow this past week but there were some Spanish mackerel and bluefish to chum to the boat. Anchor your boat in 10 feet of water and drop a block of chum in the water. Give the chum at least 15 minutes to work before changing locations. I like to fish live shrimp or pilchards under a Cajun Thunder float for these fish and it was very productive this past week. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 9:17 in the morning.

Flamingo

Snook, redfish and tarpon have been biting in the channels and along the edges of the flats in Florida Bay. The fish are eating live shrimp, pilchards, pinfish, mullets and a wide variety of artificial baits. The tarpon fishing south of Sandy Key has turned on. Along the mangrove shorelines from East Cape north to Shark River, snook, redfish, sea trout and tarpon are being caught. The best action is happening on the early stages of the incoming tides. Tarpon are feeding in the mouths of the creeks, rivers and canals on the outgoing tide. Live ladyfish and mullets have been getting the strikes. Sharks are taking some of the baits intended for the tarpon. The inside waters are producing redfish, snook and sea trout. Look for these fish to be feeding along the island points and shorelines. Jig heads tipped with a soft plastic have been working on these fish. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 9:39 AM and at the mouth of Shark River low tide is at 8:02 AM.

Capt. Alan Sherman
shermana@bellsouth.net
(786)436-2064
www.getemsportfishing.com